Bob’s Big Boy Broiler in Downey, CA

Eat a burger at Hollywood’s favorite retro diner

Today Bob’s Big Boy Broiler serves up classic Big Boy food in an atmosphere remarkably similar to when the place first opened in the 1950s. It’s not uncommon to see the place packed with classic cars which really gives the place that retro vibe. Once again, both young and old are enjoying the diner and drive-in experience at Bob’s Big Boy Broiler in Downey, CA.

If Johnie’s Coffee Shop is the most commonly used non-functioningdiner for Hollywood, Bob’s Big Boy Broiler (also known as Johnie’s Broiler and Archie’s Atomic Drive-in) in Downey, CA is probably the most used active diner for when Tinseltown or the record executives need that classic diner vibe.

Bob’s Big Boy Broiler in Downey, CA

As for its role as a filming location, the diner still catches the attention of directors, but Bob’s Big Boy Broiler’s best screen days were definitely in the 1980s until the early 2000s when the place became a car lot. One of its most recent appearances on camera was on season 4 of Mad Men when Sally Draper spills a milkshake in the episode “Tomorrowland”:

Whether you remember it from your high school days when it was Harvey’s or Johnie’s Broiler or if you’re just getting to experience its retro awesomeness for the first time now that it’s Bob’s Big Boy Broiler, chances are you’ll love it either way. A diner this special is a great slice of Americana on its own, but add in the impressive filming history and you have a must-see tourist destination.